Description
A Wall Street Journal bestseller. For nearly thirty years a serial killer has been hiding in plain sight. So has the key to an FBI agent's dark past. A family is murdered as they sleep. FBI Special Agent Nina Guerrera and her new team are tasked with determining whether there is any link between this attack and another triple homicide from four years earlier and more than two thousand miles away. In the process, they'll discover a serial killer so cunning that his grisly trail of death spanning nearly three decades has gone undetected. Each crime scene reminds Nina of the ghostly Latin folktale of La Llorona, which terrified her when she was an abandoned and vulnerable child. Now it's back to haunt her. Nina has known evil, but these macabre reenactments are as disturbing as they are baffling. Now she must uncover the meaning behind the rituals as the evidence leads her in an unexpected direction-far closer to home than anyone could have imagined. As the team narrows in on a suspect, the present collides with Nina's past in a twist of fate that forces her to make the ultimate sacrifice.
About the Author
Award-winning author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in the Fairfax County Police Department just outside DC, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. She uses her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which includes the Detective Cruz series and the Nina Guerrera series. For more information, visit www.isabellamaldonado.com.
Reviews
Praise for A Different Dawn "A horrifying crime, cat-and-mouse detection, aha moments, and extended suspense..." -Kirkus Reviews "Maldonado expertly ratchets up the tension as the pieces of the puzzle neatly fall into place. Suspense fans will be enthralled from the very first page." -Publishers Weekly "A thrill-ride from the very start. It starts off fast and never lets up. It's one of the best thrillers of the summer." -Red Carpet Crash "A Different Dawn is a heart-stopping journey on parallel tracks: police detection and personal...Isabella Maldonado has created an unforgettable hero in Nina Guerrera." -Criminal Element Praise for Isabella Maldonado "A killer of a novel. Fresh, fast, and utterly ingenious." -Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author "The survivor of a vicious crime confronts her fears in a hunt for a serial killer...forensic analysis, violent action, and a tough heroine who stands up to the last man on earth she wants to see again." -Kirkus Reviews "[In] this riveting series launch from Maldonado...the frequent plot twists will keep readers guessing to the end, and Maldonado draws on her twenty-two years in law enforcement to add realism. Determined to overcome her painful past, the admirable Nina has enough depth to sustain a long-running series." -Publishers Weekly "A heart-pounding novel from page one, The Cipher checks all the boxes for a top-notch thriller: sharp plotting, big stakes, and characters-good and bad and everywhere in between-that are so richly drawn you'll swear you've met them. I read this in one sitting, and I guarantee you will too. Oh, another promise: you'll absolutely love the Warrior Girl!" -Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author "Wow! A riveting tale in the hands of a superb storyteller." -J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author "Intense, harrowing, and instantly addictive, The Cipher took my breath away. Isabella Maldonado has created an unforgettable heroine in Nina Guerrera, a dedicated FBI agent and trauma survivor with unique insight into the mind of a predator. This riveting story is everything a thriller should be." -Hilary Davidson, Washington Post bestselling author "Maldonado's a writer to watch, and she showcases her own extensive law enforcement background in this tightly plotted police procedural." -Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Maldonado, a former law enforcement officer, brings her experience and expertise to this gripping police procedural. With its gritty heroine, this action-packed mystery will attract readers who enjoy crime novels about the war on drugs." -Library Journal "Phoenix may be burning, but Maldonado's star is rising. Gritty and gripping." -J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author "Maldonado's writing always bristles with urgency and authority." -Mystery Scene magazine "Delivers a brilliant and complicated heroine, accented by a take-no-prisoners plot...It's spicy, smart, and entertaining, definitely worth your time." -Steve Berry, author of The Lost Order "A highly entertaining police procedural...Maldonado rises to her written challenge to entertain, enthrall, and engage readers in this high-octane thriller." -Suspense Magazine "A tense thriller with a strong sense of place and an insider's look at some of the most dangerous work in law enforcement." -Jan Burke, New York Times bestselling author "The Phoenix sun isn't the only thing burning in this thrilling debut, and I look forward to more." -Shannon Baker, bestselling author of the Kate Fox mystery series "An ex-narc leads a war against a powerful crime family. The payoff is satisfying." -Kirkus Reviews "If you're in the mood for a nonstop expose of every fear you've ever had about cartel crime, Veranda Cruz is the woman to follow." -Kirkus Reviews "Finally! A kick-ass female protagonist and an author who knows firsthand the world she writes about. The combination makes for an explosive read that grabs you from page one and doesn't let go." -Alex Kava, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Lost Creed "Red alert to all readers of police procedurals with a strong thriller bent: Isabella Maldonado's Death Blow delivers nonstop action with substance, grit, and surprises." -Lisa Preston, author of The Clincher "Gritty, raw, and realistic, Isabella Maldonado's Death Blow is the real deal." -Bruce Robert Coffin, bestselling author of the Detective Byron mystery series "A gritty, gut-wrenching, page-turning thriller featuring a woman cop bent on bringing down a twisted cartel leader for reasons of her own, Death Blow grabs you from the first jaw-dropping scene to the last, and Maldonado's stellar writing weaves it all together." -Jamie Freveletti, internationally bestselling author of Blood Run
Book Information
ISBN 9781542022781
Author Isabella Maldonado
Format Paperback
Page Count 350
Imprint Thomas & Mercer
Publisher Amazon Publishing
About the Author
Award-winning author Isabella Maldonado wore a gun and badge in real life before turning to crime writing. A graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico and the first Latina to attain the rank of captain in the Fairfax County Police Department just outside DC, she retired as the Commander of Special Investigations and Forensics. During more than two decades on the force, her assignments included hostage negotiator, department spokesperson, and precinct commander. She uses her law enforcement background to bring a realistic edge to her writing, which includes the Detective Cruz series and the Nina Guerrera series. For more information, visit www.isabellamaldonado.com.
Reviews
Praise for A Different Dawn "A horrifying crime, cat-and-mouse detection, aha moments, and extended suspense..." -Kirkus Reviews "Maldonado expertly ratchets up the tension as the pieces of the puzzle neatly fall into place. Suspense fans will be enthralled from the very first page." -Publishers Weekly "A thrill-ride from the very start. It starts off fast and never lets up. It's one of the best thrillers of the summer." -Red Carpet Crash "A Different Dawn is a heart-stopping journey on parallel tracks: police detection and personal...Isabella Maldonado has created an unforgettable hero in Nina Guerrera." -Criminal Element Praise for Isabella Maldonado "A killer of a novel. Fresh, fast, and utterly ingenious." -Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author "The survivor of a vicious crime confronts her fears in a hunt for a serial killer...forensic analysis, violent action, and a tough heroine who stands up to the last man on earth she wants to see again." -Kirkus Reviews "[In] this riveting series launch from Maldonado...the frequent plot twists will keep readers guessing to the end, and Maldonado draws on her twenty-two years in law enforcement to add realism. Determined to overcome her painful past, the admirable Nina has enough depth to sustain a long-running series." -Publishers Weekly "A heart-pounding novel from page one, The Cipher checks all the boxes for a top-notch thriller: sharp plotting, big stakes, and characters-good and bad and everywhere in between-that are so richly drawn you'll swear you've met them. I read this in one sitting, and I guarantee you will too. Oh, another promise: you'll absolutely love the Warrior Girl!" -Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author "Wow! A riveting tale in the hands of a superb storyteller." -J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author "Intense, harrowing, and instantly addictive, The Cipher took my breath away. Isabella Maldonado has created an unforgettable heroine in Nina Guerrera, a dedicated FBI agent and trauma survivor with unique insight into the mind of a predator. This riveting story is everything a thriller should be." -Hilary Davidson, Washington Post bestselling author "Maldonado's a writer to watch, and she showcases her own extensive law enforcement background in this tightly plotted police procedural." -Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Maldonado, a former law enforcement officer, brings her experience and expertise to this gripping police procedural. With its gritty heroine, this action-packed mystery will attract readers who enjoy crime novels about the war on drugs." -Library Journal "Phoenix may be burning, but Maldonado's star is rising. Gritty and gripping." -J. A. Jance, New York Times bestselling author "Maldonado's writing always bristles with urgency and authority." -Mystery Scene magazine "Delivers a brilliant and complicated heroine, accented by a take-no-prisoners plot...It's spicy, smart, and entertaining, definitely worth your time." -Steve Berry, author of The Lost Order "A highly entertaining police procedural...Maldonado rises to her written challenge to entertain, enthrall, and engage readers in this high-octane thriller." -Suspense Magazine "A tense thriller with a strong sense of place and an insider's look at some of the most dangerous work in law enforcement." -Jan Burke, New York Times bestselling author "The Phoenix sun isn't the only thing burning in this thrilling debut, and I look forward to more." -Shannon Baker, bestselling author of the Kate Fox mystery series "An ex-narc leads a war against a powerful crime family. The payoff is satisfying." -Kirkus Reviews "If you're in the mood for a nonstop expose of every fear you've ever had about cartel crime, Veranda Cruz is the woman to follow." -Kirkus Reviews "Finally! A kick-ass female protagonist and an author who knows firsthand the world she writes about. The combination makes for an explosive read that grabs you from page one and doesn't let go." -Alex Kava, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Lost Creed "Red alert to all readers of police procedurals with a strong thriller bent: Isabella Maldonado's Death Blow delivers nonstop action with substance, grit, and surprises." -Lisa Preston, author of The Clincher "Gritty, raw, and realistic, Isabella Maldonado's Death Blow is the real deal." -Bruce Robert Coffin, bestselling author of the Detective Byron mystery series "A gritty, gut-wrenching, page-turning thriller featuring a woman cop bent on bringing down a twisted cartel leader for reasons of her own, Death Blow grabs you from the first jaw-dropping scene to the last, and Maldonado's stellar writing weaves it all together." -Jamie Freveletti, internationally bestselling author of Blood Run
Book Information
ISBN 9781542022781
Author Isabella Maldonado
Format Paperback
Page Count 350
Imprint Thomas & Mercer
Publisher Amazon Publishing
